Reflections from the pastoral ministry of an Evangelical Catholic Priest.

09 February, 2012

This is not about me!... OK, it's a little about me... But damn it I'm right!

Sylvia & Michael MacEachern

Gentle Reader: Below, I offer as exhibit #1 of what I am speaking about as regards the malice that is being encouraged on Sylvia's Site (S.S.) that is so corrosive to justice and truth.

I said that I was going to bring my message to other forums. To raise the alert about what had happened on the S.S. regard her publishing that +Robert Harris (St. John, NB) had endangered the children in a Miramichi parish, when in fact he fulfilled the letter of the law perfectly and with a true pastor's touch as well. Too bad Sylvia decided to blow-up the Bishop's good works and efforts. I believed it important to challenge this calumny before it took root in the public square. I told her what I was going to do... and I did it. (Yeah for me!Sorry.)Here we have someone by the handle 'jg' who was one of the individuals with whom Fr. SFB and I tangled with on Sunday. He's writing in response to Sylvia's announcement that I had published my promised column in the NP using his usual style and logic. In between his points I have inserted my response. Now, if I wasn't banned on S.S., I submitted it in this form as a comment there, (along with others just like it,) but all of them have fallen to the big 'delete' button in Sylvia's hands and it has not made it into public square via the S.S.

(Here I hasten to add that good fortune and providence worked in my favor. The NP often accept works I submit for publication. More often, they decline. But this column deals with events that happened in the midst of the Vatican conference on the same subject, ergo it's relevant to the moment and judged sufficiently well enough written and argued to merit their publishing it. From my perspective, it's another example of the truth that 'God is indeed good'.)

The exchange would have gone like this:

jg writes: “He should have been
so impartial and moral in this situation and directed the readers to his
site as he did, for his ratings, but to Sylvia site as well,
specifically to the weekend debacle. He could have ended by admitting,
truthfully, his failings as a Catholic Priest on this occasion and
written a believable “mea culpa”…He has not much credibility in my
opinion with this makeover! I hope he gets better.”

Answer: I did on both my blog and in the NP article.
The links are right there to both the site in general and the argument
in particular from the moment I posted it there.

jg writes: “From the Miramichi (not Saint-John, N.B.
or “St-John’s”, Nfld- to escape anymore confusion from an “educated”
guest, or guess??)where the investigation was conducted, and in
Fredericton, N.B., I don’t recall seeing anywhere that there were any
charges against anyone for “mischief”, which is what should occur if the
claims were malicious or had attempted to mislead the Police or the
public…”

Answer: Bishop Harris is the Bishop of St. John
which includes the Miramichi. The Police forces were correctly
identified. He is pointing out a difference that doesn’t exist – all to
cast me in as negative a light as possible. But I’m the unreasonable,
abuse one, right?

jg writes: As a society we have to ask these questions to protect our children.Period.
A responsibility rest/rested squarely on the shoulders of the
“persons/person in authority” whether clerical or of the laity to bring
this to a proper ending, for the sake of all. This was not done.”

Answer: My entire POINT is that IT WAS DONE!!!
Children were protected. Priest was kept away. Police were called to
investigate. Everything you demand was completed immediately by the
Bishop. Therefore, by your own standard: HE DID NOTHING WRONG.

jg writes: “I am wondering now if a third party
should not have been asked to review the evidence “shared “by two
different Police forces, and the clergy, on a subject which has become
so sensitive .
The arguments, the rumors and the growing “collateral damage” could have all been avoided.Has everyone involved really done “their” job before we jumped on the “reverse engineering” attempt?
We have been wearing out our keyboards,our screens and I have to say I have the same questions as when I first read this post.
Someone directly involved in this allegation needs to step up to the
plate without compromising anyone and shed some light…just a candle
maybe!”

Answer: Pure paranoia that illustrates that the
problem is not with the reality of the situation on the ground. It’s not
good enough until jg, prima, Lina and you get the ‘narrative’ that he
wants to hear (BAD Bishop & PERVERT Priest) sung throughout the
land. The problem is NOT with reality… The problem is with your
narrative!

Fr. Tim

(Sylvia: In case you read this - which is my hope. I know that none of these comments will likely see the
light of day on your blog, but I want to ask you: Aside from the fact that we wouldn’t shut up and stop
posting in the face of a bully – what did we do wrong? You can feel free to answer on either or our blogs or privately be email if you wish. I'm simply curious what your reasoning is. I politely ask you to offer back to me the actual words and texts that I offered which merited my banishment, along with the one immediately prior to it (since I am usually replying to questions or to allegations that are addressed directed to me) so that it can be read in its context. No need to cut and paste anything. Just give me the timestamp and I'll find which one (two?) from me that you find abusive to jg, prima, Lina or whomever. Thanks)

2 comments:

Folks: Lest you believe that I am exaggerating or 'over the top' in my description of what it's like when a priest enters such forums as S.S., let me offer you the following, left there this evening. It passed by Sylvia the moderator with ease who at the same time prohibiting me from responding there. This is not justice. This is the emergence of a true evil that appeared often in our long western history. The character assassination by the mob of those you disagree with.

It does not just happen to me. It happens to every priest, evangelist, orthodox theologian or lay apologist who dares to defend the faith. It happens every day on every blog - this one included. Over the two+ years I've been a regular here, I have to understand that it is a common experience.

My question is why?

What is it about these times that people cannot disagree about something, without becoming disagreeable in the process? Why are insults, slander and invective viewed by so many as being justified against any particular group/ethnicity/nation/vocation... (you get the idea) and no one seems to mind? It is this coarsening of discourse and culture not something that should worry us deeply? We've just finished discussing a story about Dickens. Can no one see the parallel's between the harshness of daily culture then and the place we seem to be headed for?

Judge for yourself. The comment is posted by Larry Green. He knew me when I was an assistant priest in the Cathedral parish. It was during the first couple of years after I was ordained. I served there for three years. It has been 20 years give or take, since he has seen or spoken with me. I remember him as being a good man with a beautiful and lovely wife. I would recognize him if I met him again. He was a regular and active parishioner.

Fr. Tim

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"I know Tim Moyle for many years and I am privy to the motivationalurgings behind the façade of mr. moyle and I can tell you folks that heis revelling from the attention he is receiving from here right now.Tim does not care if the attention is positive or negative so long as itis ATTENTION. It makes him smile ( hard to describe , it’s a grin thatdisplays an unmistakable state of ecstasy) and the calculated reactionthat he has cleverly prompted serves to provide him with the energy toaccelerate his same self serving interest forward. It would do justiceto all to totally deprive him of the fruit ( ATTENTION) of his evilactivity."

'What a beautiful and inspiring post Anne C. has left! Of course, you have blocked the door (as many a bishop has done to victims presenting themselves with accusations of abuse). As you know well Lina's father-in-law died yesterday morning and his funeral is taking place here tomorrow morning. What a beautiful occasion to sit down, together with her husband and her sister-in-law and chat, share stories, shed a tear and prepare for the celebration of the Mass of Christian Burial. You see Sylvia, whether in person, or by the internet or by telephone, good things can happen when communication is open. When doors are shut, including the doors of one's heart and thoughts, nothing is gained at all. Have a great day!'

As indicated, the post awaits approval from the moderator.................I am not holding my breath!